Forming device



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Oct. 29, 1963 GALWN 3,108,558

FORMING DEVICE Filed March 10, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l 54 l5 FIG 9 JP i 4 6 Cal) L I6 22, 1 l9 FIG. IO

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55 49 so 55 49 I J U Q G INVENTOR.

I I I JEROME G. GALVIN /54 ATTORNEY J. G. GALVlN FORMING DEVICE Oct. 29, 1963 Filed March 10, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.5

INVENTOR.

JEROME G. GALVIN ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,198,558 FORMENG DEVHJE Jerome G. Galvin, 7 N2 Haas, Los Angeles 43, tCalif. Filed Mar. 1t), 1959, Ser. No. 798,442 Claims. (Cl. 11342) This invention pertains to a forming device and more particularly to a device for forming slotted, dimpled depressions in sheet metal.

One important usage for the device of this invention is in attaching sheet members together at right angles. t is particularly adapted for constructing assemblies of louvres, vanes or the like or where a number of sheet metal strips are interposed between parallel side plates. Previously the attachment of the vanes or louvres required auxiliary fastening arrangements, such as the use of brackets, which were drilled and riveted, or welded joints, or other conventional fastening procedure. This has proven slow and expensive, and the attachments obtained have not always been reliable in nature.

According to the provisions of this invention, slotted depressions are formed in the sheet to which the vanes are to be attached. A vane is secured to the sheet merely by inserting its end through the slot and peening over the portion of the vane projecting into the dimpled depression. The sides of the depression at the slot engage the vane and firmly hold it in place. The device of this invention quickly and easily forms precision dimples with an accurately controlled slot of proper size and relationship so that vaned or louvred structures or similar assembled can be made without difficulty.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide for the simultaneous dimpling and slotting of a sheet member.

Another object of this invention is to to provide an arrangement wherein a slotted depression may be formed in a sheet, with the slot formed by an accurately guided blade adjustable relative to the work to control the angle of the slot formed.

A further object of this invention is to provide an accurate dimple-slotter manually operable with a sizable mechanical advantage.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a dimple-slotter which is rugged in nature, yet light in weight and economical to produce.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide for the attachment of sheet members without the use of fasteners or welds.

These and other objects will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the arrangement of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end elevational view, partially broken away, of the forming assembly portion of the invention,

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the arrangement of FIG. 3,

FiG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the forming assembly at an intermediate position for forming a workpiece,

-FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating the use of the slots in the lower sleeve for aligning the blade,

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View showing the forming head and blade received in the die to form a workpiece,

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the workpiece after the slotted dimple has been formed. therein,

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of a sheet member inserated in the slot for attachment,

FIG. 10 is a sectional View taken along line 10 10 of "FIG. 9, and

PEG. 11 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 9 after the portion received in the dimpled depression has been bent over to form the attachment.

With particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the device of this invention includes a frame 1 generally U-shaped as a clevis and including a base portion 2 for attachment to a work bench or the like. Near the outer end 3 of upper frame section 4 a pair of arms 5 and 6 is attached by means of transverse bolt 7. The lower portions of arms 5 and 6 are held by bolt 7 against the fiat sides 8 and 9 of frame section 4 so that these arms are guided by the frame when piovtally moved about bolt 7.

The upper ends of arms 5 and 6 pivotally engage the actuating lever ll) of the machine by means of bolt 11. The latter member is formed as a bell crank having a relatively short arm 12 and a longer arm 13 adapted for manual operation. Ann 13 is made of a suitable length for convenience and to give adequate mechanical advantage. At the intersection of arms 12 and 13 the actuating lever engages pin 14 for connection to yoke 15 of the forming head assembly 16. The actuating lever is received in slot 17 in member 15 so that that member is angularly positioned by the actuating lever.

With particular reference new to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the yoke 15 includes a shank 18 of reduced diameter extending into a tube or sleeve .19. Shoulder 20 of member 15 thereby engages end surface 21 of sleeve 19. A set screw 22. is threadably received in the side wall of sleeve 19 and engageable with shank 18 of member 15 in a circumferential recess 23. Thus, with the set screw loosened, sleeve 19 is rotatable relative to the actuating mechanism, and thereby relative to the frame, while tightening of the set screw fixes the angular position of the sleeve. Sleeve 19 is movable in the vertical direction with member 15, and is guided by a'fixed outer sleeve 25 which is Welded or otherwise suitably secured to outer end 3 of frame section 4' and slidably receives sleeve 19.

Threadably engaged with the interior of sleeve 19 is shank 26 of forming member 27 which depends downwardly from sleeve 19. Member 27 is locked in place with respect to sleeve 19 by means of a screw 28 engaging a tapped hole in the end of shank 26, and with its head supported on shoulder 29 within sleeve 19. To assure that the shank is locked within sleeve 19 and will not become loosened as the machine is used, the threads on that member are right-hand threads while those on the screw are left-hand threads which mate with similar threads in the tapped hole in the end of shank 26.

The lower end of member 27 includes an enlarged head 30 carrying a blade 31 which projects from head 3% both radially and axially. The cutting edge of blade 31 is on the axially extending portion 32, while radial projections 33 and 34 are received within axial slots 35 and 36 of a lower tubular member 37. The latter element is received in the lower portion of outer sleeve 25 and also is slidable relative to that member. Sleeve 37 is biased downwardly by a spring 38 engaging the end wall 39 of member 37 and the radial wall of member 19 within recess 40. This maintains the inner surface of the end wall 39 of member 37 in engagement with the upper edge of forming head 30, thereby retracting blade 31 so that it does not project below end radial surface 42 of member 37.

Below the forming assembly, the lower frame section 43 holds a horizontal work-supporting surface 44 above which projects circular die 45. The die includes circular recess 46 dimensioned to receive the forming head. Radial portions 33 and 34 of blade 31 fit closely against 3 the side walls of the die when the forming member is introduced therein.

In operation of the device of this invention, first the proper angular setting of blade 31 is made. This is done in order that the slot cut in the dimple formed in the workpiece will extend in the proper direction. This invention permits an accurate setting to be obtained in only a few moments of time. To accomplish this arm 13 of the actuating lever is pivoted downwardly thereby also moving the forming assembly unit downwardly with respect to the frame. Sleeves 19 and 37 and forming member 26 move as a unit in view of the threaded connection between shank 26 and the interior of sleeve 19 and the spring 38 engaging the end wall of member 37. This downward movement is continued only until the bottom portion of sleeve 37 is exposed below outer sleeve 25 as seen in FIG. 6. The exact angular position of blade 31 then is readily determined by observing the position of slots 35 and 36. In other words, the blade is keyed into these slots so that the slots in turn tell the precise location of the blade. By loosening set screw 22 and rotating sleeve 19 the proper annular setting of the blade may be obtained. This is facilitated by guide markings 48 on the lower edge of outer tube 25 which may be set off for degrees of rotation with respect to the frame. With the blade adjusted and the screw retightcned, the forming operation may begin.

Workpiece 49 to be formed is inserted between the die and the lower end of outer tube 25, and arm 13 then is brought downwardly to form the workpiece. Only one stroke of arm 13 is necessary in order to precisionform a dimpled depression 50 (see FIG. 8), having a .transverse slot 51 therein. It takes only seconds to lower arm 13 and form the workpiece, and then raise the arm to remove the workpiece from the machine or reposition it for the formation of an additional slotted dimple. The workpiece is conveniently guided by means of angle 52 on work-supporting surface 48, preferably made adjustable relative to the frame.

In making the slotted dimple the forming head is driven directly downwardly by the actuating linkage so that end portion 32. of the blade initially contacts the upper surface of the workpiece. At the same time, bottom edge 42 of member 37 engages a circular segment of the workpiece above the die and around that portion engaged by the blade. The device in the intermediate position where it initially contacts the workpiece may be seen in FIG. 5.

Continued downward movement of forming member 2'7 forces the blade through the workpiece to cut slot 51, then bringing beveled end portion 53 of forming head 36 into engagement with the top of the workpiece, whereupon this end surface draws the workpiece down within the die as seen in FIG. 7. The slotted dimple then is complete and arm 13 is raised to remove the forming head from the workpiece and again return it to the retracted position within outer sleeve 25. As upward movement of the forming member begins, spring 38 urges member 37 downwardly so that this member, through bottom surface 42, holds the workpiece against the upper surface of the die and strips the part from the forming head. Continued upward movement of arm 13 then causes the upper end of forming head 30 to again engage end wall 39 of member 37, and retracts the elements to their initial position within outer sleeve 25. The ma chine then is ready to repeat the forming operation. It can be seen, therefore, that the machine, although adapted for manual operation, is extremely fast acting both in the set-up operation before forming and in the actual formation of the slotted dimples in the workpiece.

The arrangement by which the arms which carry the actuating lever are held against the flat side walls of frame portion 3 inwardly of the outer edge assures that the forming assembly is accurately guided and will not wobble or vary in its position during repeated forming operations. Each setting of machine, therefore, is very simple to obtain yet is maintained throughout extensive use. The location of pivot point 7 is inwardly of sleeve 25 so that there is no interference with set screw 22 or the other elements of the forming assembly, yet is close to the end of the frame so that a sizable mechanical advantage is possible.

In utilizing the slotted dimples formed in the workpiece by the provisions of this invention, a second sheet member 54 which may be a vane, louvre or the like, is inserted into slot 51 from beneath the dimpled depression as seen in FIGS. 9 and 10. While held in this locatien portion 5a, which is within the dimple, is peened or otherwise suitably bent over to the position of FIG. 11, thereby retaining the sheet member 54 to member 49. While this attachment is quite easily effected, it is rigid and permanent requiring no fastners which might loosen or welds which might become broken. In the usual assembiy wherein louvred members are included, two parallel dimpled members will receive a plurality of the louvres thercbetween and cooperation of these two members gives a particularly rigid and permanent structure.

A typical dimple-slotter of this invention will form a dimple and slot of A3 inch diameter through material up to 18 gauge. Nevertheless, such a machine will weigh only around 50 pounds and, therefore, is readily portable. The clevis-type throat defined by the frame enables dimples to be formed well inwardly of an edge of the workpiece, increasing the versatility of this invention.

At the bottom of the stroke of the forming assembly 16 the lower end 56 of sleeve .19 engages upper surface 39 of slot-ted sleeve 37. This acts as a stop, limiting the travel of forming head .30 and determining the depth of the dimple formed. If a deeper dimple is desired, shank 25 may be unscrewed slightly from its position in sleeve 19, projecting forming head 38 farther from end 56 and increasing the travel of the forming head relative to the workpiece. If the dimple is drawn slightly deeper in this manner, the slot 51 will become distended. This increases the width of the slot so that heavier gauge materials may be accommodated and secured to the slotted part. This provides a fine adjustment so that accurately controlled slot widths may be obtained.

The foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood as given by way of illustration and example only, the spirit and scope of this invention being limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A metal forming device comprising a die having a receptacle and a surface adjacent said receptacle adapted to engage one surface of a sheet to be formed, a sleeve movable relative to said die and engageable with the opposite surface of such a sheet adjacent said surface of said die, said sleeve having axially extending slots therein, a forming means reciprocative relative to said sleeve, said forming means having a blade, portions of which are received within said slots in said sleeve, said blade having an edge portion for engaging and cutting a workpiece engaged by said sleeve on said die, said forming means including a central portion recessed from said edge of said blade and from the portions of said blade received in said slot means for engaging such a workpiece and forming the same within said die, said sleeve means including resilient means for normally maintaining said blade and said central portion retracted within said sleeve means.

2. A forming device comprising a die having a circular recess therein; a forming member insertable in said recess; actuating means for causing rectilinear reciproeative movement of said forming member, said forming memher including an enlarged portion and a blade projecting laterally and axially therefrom, the edges of said blade being adjacent said die when said forming member is in said recess; a sleeve dimensioned to slidably receive said forming member, said sleeve including slot means receiving and guiding said laterally projecting portions of said blade, resilient means engaging said sleeve and urging the same to a position for receiving said forming member and causing said sleeve to move with said forming member, said sleeve including a surface engageable with a workpiece adjacent said receptacle in said die whereby said sleeve is retained against the opposition of said resilient means from movement with said forming member, said forming member being movable by said actuating means relative to said sleeve to an extended position where said enlarged portion and said blade project beyond said sleeve when said forming member is inserted in said recess.

3. A forming device comprising a frame, guide means secured to and carried by said frame, a forming assembly slidably engaging said guide means, manually operable actuating means for reciprocating said forming assembly relative to said guide means, said forming asembly including a first sleeve connected to said actuating means and engaging said guide means, means for angularly adjusting said first sleeve about the axis thereof relative to said actuating means, a work-engaging member secured to and carried by said first sleeve and projecting therefrom, said work-engaging member having a forming head on the distal end thereof and a blade projecting laterally and longitudinally from said forming head, a second sleeve dimensioned to receive said forming head and having slots in the wall thereof slidably engaging laterally proprojecting portions of said blade, resilient means interposed between said second sleeve and said first sleeve for urging said second sleeve to a position receiving said forming head and said blade, and a die secured and carried by said frame, said die having a receptacle aligned with and adapted to receive said forming head and said blade, the surface of said die adjacent said receptacle being engageable by one side of a workpiece to be formed, said second sleeve having a surface opposite to said surface of said die for engaging the opposite side of such a workpiece when said forming head and blade are received by said receptacle.

4. A forming device comprising a substantially U- shaped frame; a sleeve carried by said frame at one end thereof; a fixed die carried by said frame at the opposite end thereof in alignment with and spaced from said sleeve, said die having a circular recess therein, said frame having flat side portions adjacent and inwardly of said sleeve; a pair of arms one end of which engages and pivotally connects to said flat side portions of said frame; a bellcrank pivotally connected to the opposite ends of said arms, said bellcrank including a relatively short arm portion intersecting with a relatively long arm portion; a forming assembly pivotally connected to said bellcrank at the location of said intersection, said forming assembly including a yoke connected to said bellcrank, a tubular member connected to said yoke, means for angularly adjusting the position of said tubular member about the axis thereof with respect to said yoke, said tubular member extending downwardly into said sleeve, an additional tubular member received in said sleeve, resilient means interposed between said first mentioned tubular member and said additional tubular member urging said additional tubular member away from said first mentioned tubular member, and a forming head carried by said first mentioned tubular member, said forming head projecting from said first mentioned tubular member and including a central pressure member and a blade projecting laterally and axially from said pressure member, said pressure member and said blade being normally retracted within said additional tubular member, said additional tubular member including axial slots extending through the side wall thereof and slidably receiving said laterally projecting portions of said blade, said blade and said pressure member being extensible beyond said additional tubular member and receivable in said die, the lateral edges of said blade being adjacent said die when said blade is so received thereby.

5. A metal forming device comprising a die having a receptacle therein and a surface adapted to engage a sheet to be formed, a forming member insertable in said die, said forming member including a pressure face and a blade projecting axially and laterally therefrom, a sleeve having a surface engageable with opposite surface portions of a sheet engaging said die, said sleeve having axially extending slot means therein of substantially the width of said projecting portions of said blade for slidably receiving said laterally projecting portions of said blade, said sleeve being movable relative to said forming means such that said forming means is receivable therein, resilient means urging said sleeve to such position, and means for reciprocating said forming means, said means for reciprocating said forming means including a frame having opposite flat surface portions, a pair of arms, said arms being on opposite sides of said frame, one end of each of said arms being in engagement with and pivotally connected to a flat surface portion, and bellcrank means pivotally connected to the opposite ends of said arms, said bellcrank means being connected to said forming means for effecting reciprocation thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 512,097 Casey Jan. 2, 1894 521,858 Higgins June 26, 1894 1,125,300 Forsyth Jan. 19, 1915 1,188,000 Malaby June 20, 1916 1,243,005 Taylor Oct. 16, 1917 1,389,786 Rouse Sept. 6, 1921 2,180,545 Parsons et al Nov. 21, 1939 2,413,591 Sturdy Dec. 31, 1946 2,600,242 May June 10, 1952 2,627,212 Connor et al Feb. 3, 1953 2,690,562 Cootes Oct. 5, 1954 2,692,550 Smith Oct. 26, 1954 2,800,961 Cutler July 30, 1957 2,928,450 Belding Mar. 15, 1960 2,928,451; Taylor Mar. 15, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 523,628 Canada .4... Apr. 10, 1956 

1. A METAL FORMING DEVICE COMPRISING A DIE HAVING A RECEPTACLE AND A SURFACE ADJACENT SAID RECEPTACLE ADAPTED TO ENGAGE ONE SURFACE OF A SHEET TO BE FORMED, A SLEEVE MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID DIE AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE OPPOSITE SURFACE OF SUCH A SHEET ADJACENT SURFACE OF SAID DIE, SAID SLEEVE HAVING AXIALLY EXTENDING SLOTS THEREIN, A FORMING MEANS RECIPROCATIVE RELATIVE TO SAID SLEEVE, SAID FORMING MEANS HAVING A BLADE, PORTIONS OF WHICH ARE RECEIVED WITHIN SAID SLOTS IN SAID SLEEVE, SAID BLADE HAVING AN EDGE PORTION FOR ENGAGING AND CUTTING A WORKPIECE ENGAGED BY SAID SLEEVE ON SAID DIE, SAID FORMING MEANS INCLUDING A CENTRAL PORTION RECESSED FROM SAID EDGE OF SAID BLADE AND FROM THE PORTIONS OF SAID BLADE RECEIVED IN SAID SLOT MEANS FOR ENGAGING SUCH A WORKPIECE AND FORMING THE SAME WITHIN SAID DIE, SAID SLEEVE MEANS INCLUDING RESILIENT MEANS FOR NORMALLY MAINTAINING SAID BLADE AND SAID CENTRAL PORTION RETRACTED WITHIN SAID SLEEVE MEANS. 